The Ainu and Their Folk-Lore

This memoir is from 1901 and covers 25 years of living, as a missionary, with the Ainu people of Japan . A great read about a unique people and their customs.

From the Preface:

Mv book entitled "The Ainu of Japan" was
written in the year 1889, and published three
years later. Since then it has been my privilege
to have had further experience of some twelve
years' duration in the midst of the Ainu, altogether
making a life among them of nearly twenty-five
years. On reading that book through in the light
of the more extended knowledge thus obtained, 1
am bound to admit that 1 found many matters
contained therein which need modification, as well
as some others which struck me as being mis-
leading. It was an earnest desire to make amends
to the public by rectifying these blemishes which
first suggested the idea of either writing a new
book on the subject or revising the old one.

After thinking the matter well over, I came to
the conclusion that it would be better to write a
new book, especially as I had in hand a large
quantity of new material in the way of legends and
folk-lore. The present production is not, therefore,
simply the old volume revised (though much has
been quoted from it), but a new book with the
mistakes found in the old one rectified as far as
known. And it has been my aim throughout to let
the Ainu themselves speak, while I have simply
acted as translator in so far as the legends and
folk-lore are concerned.

It may, perhaps, be considered by some readers
that I have quoted too many similar legends and
items of folk-lore. But the apology for having
produced so many (if apology is necessary) is that
I thought it best to give all I had, so that any one
interested in this kind of research might have
materials for purposes of comparison with the lore
of other races; and the ethnologist knows (and who
better than he ?) that slight differences in lore some-
times mean a great deal. Others also may imagine
that I might have made more use of Mr. Savage
Landor's book on The Hairy Ainu than I have
done. I have read that production through very
carefully, and have come to the conclusion that his
book is too inexact to be used for any purposes of
ethnological science ; it is, therefore, not quoted in
this book.

Through the courtesy of The Religious Tract
Society I have been able to reproduce in this
volume the illustrations contained in my old book,
and for this I desire to express my thanks. But
these have been largely added to by photos and
sketches I have been able to obtain since writing
that book, thus considerably enriching the present
volume. I am also greatly indebted to the Society
for the courteous way in which they have met me,
for the suggestions made by them, and for the care
exercised in bringing out this book. My best
thanks are also due to my friend, Dr. Miyabe,
Professor of Botany in the Sapporo Agricultural
College, Japan, for kindly supplying me with the
correct botanical names of plants mentioned in this
book.

In conclusion (to quote from the preface of my
old work), my * object will be attained if it {the
present book) leads my readers to appreciate the
good points of this strange race; and, above all,
if it leads them to feel renewed interest in the
efforts that are being made to bring them under
the civilising influence and saving grace of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some subjects:
The early Ainu were cannibals--Clan wars--How tattooing is done-Household Furnishings--Marriage and Divorce--Etiquette--Food--Trees and Tree Worship--Serpent Cultus--Animan and Bird Cultus-About Names and Name Giving--Treasures and Ornaments---The Pleasures of Life--The village community--Diseases--Exorcism--Hunting and Fishing--Music and singing--The village community--Reverence for old people taught-- Death and Burial....and so much more!